Find your roots and hear your ancestors' words across the generations. Discover your origins in old letters as ancestors tell their stories and reveal family relationships, past events, moments in time and details of family history. Add branches to your family tree as you search your ancestry and build your genealogy.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Thomas Simons of South Carolina

6 letters, dated 1790s, from Thomas Simons of South Carolina, written from Charleston SC, Newport, Rhode Island and New Haven, Connecticut, all addressed to Charles Ludlow, an early Wall Street, New York City merchant banker. The letters were carried by hand and have no postal markings. A summary of each follows:

[Simons to Ludlow; dated Charleston, South Carolina, Dec 10 1793; 1 p.] "I was requested by our friend COL Read to forward a Bill of Exchange of one hundred dollars to you, the second of which I now inclose. The first you will receive by the Ship INDUSTRY. The bill is drawn on Messrs. Hoffman & Seton. I was happy to hear by Mrs. Read of you & your family. She speaks highly of your charming little daughter. I was in hopes that we should have had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Ludlow & yourself in this Country, but Mrs. Read does not give us much encouragement to expect you soon. Mrs. Simons joins me in requesting our best respects to Mrs. Ludlow & your father & mother. We will also thank to remember us affectionately to Mr. & Mrs. Livingston & Miss Vanhorne when you see them ... [signed] Thos. Simons ..."

[Simons to Ludlow; Charleston, Dec 10 1793; 1 p..] This brief letter originally enclosed the first Bill of Exchange, mentioned above. In those times important letters and documents were often sent in duplicate -- by different ships or land routes -- to insure delivery against loss.

[Simons to Ludlow; "Rhode Island," Aug 18 1795; 3 pp.] "I have to acknowledge the receipt of your two favors, the last of which I received this morning. Your first favor I should have answered sooner, but I have left Newport & stay above five miles from it in the Country. I am in hopes that the Country here will be of more service to Mrs. Simons & to our girl than Newport, that we cannot so much find here as there. We are agreeably situated on a pleasant farm, which is open to the sea. Mrs. Cain was so well pleased with it she has joined us. Mr. Read I am in hope will also make one of our party. This is certainly the place for invalids. The day is pleasant if you do not vapor yourself in the heat of the Sun, but the agreeable coolness of the evenings contributes more to one's recovery. In your last you mention that you can get 18/6 for my ... indentures payable in Oct, if that price can now be obtained I will ask you to sell them. The first day of Oct is about the time I expect to be In New York. I will therefore [reqeust you] to file them payable on that day. If you cannot get that price, I will thank you to wait until the first of Sept and then sell them, unless you wish that they will sell better now, as I have no thoughts of funding them. I am in hopes that Mr. Read is in New York by this time & we shall meet him soon. The season is so far advanced ... [signed] Thos. Simons ..."

[Simons to Ludlow; from Mrs. Hazards, Thames Street, Newport, Aug 8 1795; 2 pp.] "I wrote you a letter just as I was about sailing from New Haven & inclose one for Charleston. I have to apologize for the trouble I then gave & now give you & shall rely on your goodness for my excuse. I have not received a line from any of my friends since I left New York. I can account for it no other way, than to suppose that their letters are at New York. If you should have any letters, bring them for me. You will greatly oblige me by sending them forward. We are in hopes that you feel no inconvenience from the heat of the weather in New York. We find it pleasant here & may make our best respects to Mrs. Ludlow & Miss Vanhorner and let them know that NewP. has increased very much, but that our little daughter has had a fever. She is now getting the better of it ... let me know what you can get for my indentures payable the first of Oct ... [signed] Thos. Simons ..."

[Simons to Ludlow; New Haven, Connecticut, Jul 26 1795; 2 pp.] "I was obliged to leave New York so early on Sat week morning, that I could not take my leave of you, as intended, without disturbing you. I therefore send up my indentures to you & will thank you to keep them until you hear further from me. Mrs. Simon recovered very much since she has been here. Her eye is much better. Our stay here has been much longer than we originally intended, on account of Dr. Flagg's daughter being sick. We shall, however, sail I hope tomorrow. We have spent the time very agreeably; Mr. Platt's and Mr. Broome's families have been very polite and attentive to us. Will you be good enough to make Mrs. Simon's & my best respects to Miss Vanhorne & Mrs. Ludlow & inform them of the flattering prospect we have of their speedy recovery. Mrs. S. requests of Mrs. Ludlow to beseach such sweet meats she thinks will keep best for her. I will be happy to hear from you ... [signed] Thos. Simons ... P.S. Mrs. S. has had 4 half gallons I've made here for her sweet meats, with her name, which I will forward to the person, who is to make the sweet meats, as would not wish to trouble you with them."

[Simons to Ludlow; Rhode Island, Sep 28 1795; 2+ pp.] "We had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Read on Monday the 4th Inst., but he had stayed so long we dispaired of seeing him here this season. He mentioned to me that you did send him to inform me that I could not get the price that you respected for my indentures. I hope, however, that you have sold them, as I have no idea of sending them to Carolina to be funded. I desired my friiends in Carolina if they could get me a small sum in indentures to get COL Read to inclose them to you; if has sent any, I will be much obliged to you to put them in a broker's hands to be sold immediately. I am giving you a great deal of trouble. If I could be of any service to you, I wish you would command me. I will thank you to make Mrs. Simon's compliments to Mrs. Ludlow & Miss VAnhorne. I inform them that Mrs. Simon is considerably better, but her eyes are still weak that she does not venture to [word not clear] ... [signed] Thos. Simons ...